Following on from the previous post, it started me investigating in full the catalogue of William DeVaughn.
He's possibly only known to many for the 70s classic 'Be Thankful For What You Got', recorded at the famous Sigma Sound Studios in Philly using MFSB musicians, which has been covered by many others in every decade since it's release in 1974, including some of these better ones:
80s Craig Peyton, Sunset Gun
90s Portrait, Pauline Henry (The Chimes), Massive Attack, Cleveland Watkiss
00s Omar & Erykah Badu (2000), Omar & Angie Stone (2001), Walter Beasley (2007), Lipbone Redding (2009)
10s Rumer (2015), David C. Johnson (2016), Sade (Live) (2016), Lady C (2017), Raquel Rodriguez & Stan Taylor (2019) and most recently in May 2020 by J-Felix Feat. Sol Goodman, ... and there's many more especially reggae versions.
He recorded two albums in 1974 and 1980 respectively, and left the music business after the release of 'Figures Can't Calculate' album in 1980 but returned in 2004 releasing a single and a new album 'Time Will Stand Still' in 2008 on his own Mighty Two Diamonds label. A few unreleased tracks surfaced on various compilations. His latest release was in 2017 with a cover of Junior Walker's - What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) - yet another one covered by many.
After bit of digging I've just discovered that he has released a new single in Sep 2020 New World Living a sample of which is on his website:
Image used with permission of copyright owner Eli Meir Kaplan
Discography
Albums
A bonus previously unreleased track which began to appear on reissues of the album after 1989. It was originally released by High & Mighty (their only release) on Chelsea in 1974 which is quite an in demander fetching between £100-£150 with only one currently available on Discogs for £200.
Mighty Two Diamonds (His own label - very hard to find!)
2008 - Time Will Stand Still [30474] (NB link takes you to samples on AllMusic)
What's Goin' On (Marvin Gaye)
Mr Politician
Figures Can’t Calculate
Be Thankful For What You Got 2008
Never Too Much Love /Choice Of Colors (Curtis Mayfield)
Same People 4:49
Cry On Me
Same People 4:50
Singles
Roxbury
1974 Be Thankful For What You Got / Be Thankful For What You Got (Part 2) [BRB0-0236]
1974 Give The Little Man A Great Big Hand / Something's Being Done [RB 2005]
1974 Kiss And Make Up / Sing A Love Song [RB-2018]
Tec
1980 Figures Can't Calculate / Hold-On-To-Love [TEC 767]
1980 Be Thankful For What You Got / You Send Me [TEC 770]
An updated, 'bouncier' 1980 version c/w Sam Cooke cover.
HSRC
1982 Crème De Crème / Crème De Crème (Instrumental) [WS4-03279]
Mighty Two Diamonds (His own label)
2004 I Came Back
A mellow modern soul stepper
Sound Gems
2014 Staying Power (From Lost Soul Gems)
A smooth soul ballad/stepper
2014 Love Ballad of the Year (From Lost Soul Gems)
Ballad
2016 Love in Any Language (From Lost Soul Gems)
Mid-tempo modern soul
A cover of Jr. Walker & The All-Stars - too 'synthesised' to these ears!
2020 New World Living (snippet only)
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